Musical instrument



Dec. 31, 1940.

E. SANDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Sept. 7, 1939 Zhwentor fl/GENE SANDER M 43 CI tto meg Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT corporation of Indiana Application September 7, 1939, Serial No. 293,716

4 Claims. (Cl. 84- 385) This invention relates to musical instruments and, more particularly, to valves and valve seats therefor. More specifically, the invention is primarily concerned with musical instruments of I the woodwind type of which the saxophone, clarinet, flute, oboe and bassoon are examples.

In respect to the application of the invention to Saxophones, clarinets, etc., the present invention has for its main object the provision of an improved valve and valve seat for the tone holes. In saxophones of the prior art constructions, the tampions for the tone holes are provided with pads which are carried by the tampions and overlie the tone holes in the open position of the valves or tampions as well as in the closed position thereof when said pads engage the edges of the tone holes for sealing the latter. By reason of the fact that the pads on the tampions thus overlie the tone holes when the tampions are in open position, there results, among other things, an objectionable mufiiing of the sound which issues from the tone holes controlled by their respective tampions. This objectionable muilling is elimihated by the presentinvention by the provision .ofa non-muifiing tampion without impairing the sealing action of the tampion. Briefly, this is accomplished by eliminating the pads from the tampions whereby to expose the metallic or other non-muiiling face of the tampion or valve disks to the sound issuing from the companion tone holes, and in order to obtain the proper sealing action of the tampions without muffiing the sound, valve seats are provided on the tubular body of the instrument adjacent each tone hole in position to be engaged by the valve disks in the closed position thereof for sealing the tone holes. The valve seats include resilient members which, when engaged by the valve disks, provide an effective seal for closing thetone holes.

By reason of the above described valve and valve seat provided in accordance with the present invention, not only is the mufliing of the sound eliminated, but also other advantages are derived. Among these additional advantages resulting from the elimination of the muiliing of the sound are the reduction in the blowing effort required for playing the instruments and the improvement in the articulation of the notes, an improved distinction between notes being obtained, as compared with musical instruments of the prior art. Moreover, and quite apart from the elimination of the muilling of the sound, the effect of the moisture which is blown into the instrument by the player and which deleteriously affects the valve pads in the prior art instruments is substantially eliminated, with the result that the sealing members for the tone holes have a longer life than tampion. pads. Also, the provision of the valve seats adjacent the tone holes serve to protect the rims of the latter against damage which frequently occurs in instruments of the prior art in which said rims are apt to become uneven or worn during buffing of the instrument. H

The invention and the above mentioned and other objects and advantages thereof will be more fully comprehended from the following description considered with reference to the accompanying drawing which, however, are to be taken and understood as illustrative of the invention but not in limitation thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a saxophone embodying the present invention, parts of the saxophone being omitted in order to simplify the drawing: I

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-4 of F g.

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of part of the tubular body of the saxophone showing in plan view a tone hole and a valve seat associated therewith;

Fig. 4 is a face view of the valve at the side thereof which confronts the tone hole;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5 and showing also a valve disk in closed position, said valve disk being'constructed in accordance with another form of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 taken at the mouth pipe of the instrument which is provided with the upper octave vent;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. l.

In the drawing many of the well known parts 0 of the saxophone have been omitted in order to simplify the drawing and better to illustrate the invention. Also only a few of the relatively large number of tone holes and companion valves and valve seats are illustrated. It is, therefore,

to be understood that the present illustration is to be considered as relating to a saxophone having all the necessary parts including such parts and mechanisms as are well known to those skilled in the art whereby an operative instru- 60 ment of the improved construction herein contemplated is provided.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the saxophone l0, here shown for the purpose of iilustrating one application of the present invention, comprises the usual tubular body including th stack l2, the bell l4 and the mouth pipe IS. The valves and valve seats embodying the present invention are illustrated in conjunction with the tone hole I8 in the stack adjacent the lower bow 20 of the instrument and in conjunction with the upper octave vent 22 in mouth pipe l5. It will be understood, however, that each tone hole or vent of the instrument is preferably similarly provided with the improved valve and valve seat of the present invention.

Considering now the construction of the valve and valve seat of the present invention, and referring for this purpose first to Figs. 2 to 5 of the drawing in conjunction with Fig. 1 thereof, the valve, as here shown, comprises a metal disk 24 pivotally mounted as at 28 on the body of the instrument for movement to open and closed positions under the control of the usual key actions and mechanisms, the key or finger piece for the valve disk 24 here shown being indicated at 28. The inner face 30 of valve disk 24 confronts the tone hole l8 in position to open and close the latter. The inner face of said disk 24 is not as heretofore provided with a pad but is exposed so that the sound vibrations issuing from the tone hole may impinge thereon without being muflled. Said face 30 is, therefore, constituted by the metal or other non-mufiiing material of which the valve is made, and valve 24 may thus proper- 1y be described as a non-muilling valve.

The valve seat 32 for valve 24 comprises an annular or ring-shaped metal member 34 carried by the tubular body of the instrument and more specifically by the rim 38 of the tone hole, memher 34. being secured to rim 38 in any suitable not, Preferably by brazing said member to said Said annular member 34 of the valve seat is preferably L-shaped in section providing an 0 annul r recess 38 in which there is seated an an- Inna: resilient or yieldable member 40 which is engaged by valve 24 in the closed position thereof for sealing the opening of the tone hole ll. Annular member 40 may be of any suitable construction and made of any suitable material.

preferably, soft and resilient, which is capable of providing the seal with the contacting surface of the valve. As here shown, said member 40 comprise a main annular portion 42, an outer annular layer 44 of thin and soft leather such as kidskin, and an inner layer 46 of paper, layers 44 and being adhesively or otherwise secured to annular body portion 42. Sealing member 40 is secured in recess 38 in any suitable way as, for

5 example, by any suitable adhesive such as shellac applied to the outer surface of paper layer 46. As clearly shown in Fig. 5, sealing member 40 of the valve seat extends above the outer edge of the tone hole rim I! in position to be engaged by the valve. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the valve may be provided with an annular rib for engaging the sealing member 40 of the valve seat, although ordinarily said rib may be omitted. The purpose of the layer 44 of kidskin or similar material is to provide the sealing member 40 with an outer surfitted in the circular opening 54 in the mouth plpe l6. Said valve seat comprises also an outer annular cup-like portion 56 integral with tubular I portion 52 in which the valve sealing member 58 is mounted. Sealing member 58 is preferably of the same construction and has the same properties as sealing member 40. The valve 60 for the octave vent is, like the valve 24, nonmuilling, and for the purpose has a non-mufliing surface 62 which confronts the octave vent opening. Accordingly, the valve 60 is preferably made of metal or other non-muffling material. Said valve 60 is as usual operated by a lever 64 pivoted on the tubular body of the instrument as indicated at 66, said valve being normally held in closed position by a leaf spring 68. Lever B4 is operated by a member 10 of conventional construction for opening the valve against the action of spring 68.

Thus it is seen that the valve and valve seat as described above constitutes a device well adapted to accomplish the objects of the present invention and which possesses the above mentioned advantages thereof as well as other advantages which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It will be understood that while I have shown and described the invention in reference to a saxophone, the invention may also be applied to clarinets and other musical instruments having a tubular body provided with openings controlled by valves of the type heretofore provided with sealing pads. The present invention is also useful in connection with the openings for expelling moisture from brass wind instruments such as trumpets or cornets, trombones, basses, and other instruments of this type. Further it will be understood that while I have shown and described the preferred construction of the valve and valve seat embodying the present invention, certain changes in the details and in the arrangement of parts may be made and will occur to skilled artisans in view of the present disclosure. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the form of the invention as herein shown or described except as may be required by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a musical instrument of the woodwind type comprising a tubular body having a tone opening, a rim on said body defining said opening, an annular member secured to said body around said rim and providing an annular space around said rim, a yieldable annular member secured in said space and providing a valve seat, and a valve engageable with said valve seat for closing said opening.

2. In a musical instrument of the woodwind type comprising'a tubular body having a tone opening, a rim on said body defining said opening, an annular member secured to said body around said rim and providing an annular space around said rim, a yieidable annular member secured in said space and providing a valve seat. and a valve engageable with said valve seat for closing said opening, said valve having a nonmufliing face confronting said opening in the open position of the valve.

3. In a musical instrument of the woodwind type comprising a tubular body having a tone opening, a rim on said body defining said opening, means secured to said body and providing a space around said rim, a yieldable member secured in said space and providing a valve seat, and a valve engageable with said valve seat for closing said opening, said valve comprising a metal disk having a non-muffling face confronting said opening in the open position of the vvalve.

4. In a musical instrument of the woodwind type comprising a tubular body having a tone opening, a rim on said body defining said open- 

